Defiant Nuneaton dad Graham Birch, desperate for a bone marrow transplant to save his life, has been hailed "a real star" after his fundraising efforts topped the £25,000 mark.

Nearly 60 people turned out in support of 49-year-old Graham during a sponsored walk in Nuneaton's rural outskirts.

Graham was too poorly to walk with them. Instead, he was ferried around in a car handing out refreshments to sustain the walkers.

Their efforts have raised a handsome £4,246 for the Anthony Nolan Trust, the organisation which keeps a register of all potential bone marrow transplant volunteers in the country.

Father-of-two Graham, who lives in Attleborough Road, Nuneaton, is suffering from lymphoma, a blood cancer.

He said: "I can't thank people enough for supporting the trust. They had a lot of fun. Their ages ranged from five into their fifties - and there were about three dogs taking part as well."

Letitia Hayward, the area appeals manager for the Anthony Nolan Trust, who accepted the latest cheque, said: "Graham is a real star. He has now raised in excess of £25,000 for the trust and his support, and that of his friends, has been priceless."

In the latest fundraising venture, 58 of Graham's supporters took part in the Nuneaton Rotary Walk around the Weddington area.

Graham, a self-employed handyman, who used to run a carpet business in Stocking-ford, has held several events for the trust, including an auction, a darts marathon and a bric-a-brac sale.

Last year, more than 100 people turned up at Nuneaton's George Eliot Hospital for blood tests to find out if they were a match. Others turned up at Nuneaton Borough Football Club for another session. No match has yet been found.

Specialists have told Mr Birch that, because of his rare tissue type, they do not expect to find a match for his bone marrow transplant. But he says he lives in hope.

He said: "You've got to have hope. Someone walking towards me in the street could be a match without even realising it. A simple blood test would confirm it. I'm hoping people will get in touch with their GP or the pathology lab at George Eliot Hospital, or the Anthony Nolan Trust."

He revealed: "I'm on chemotherapy and I've had 167 blood transfusions in 20 months.